Consumer Choice Conundrum
AMA Government Relations Department combats potential gas-powered vehicle restrictions at state and federal levels
The rising tide of electric, hybrid and alternative fuel automotive options has created increased concern among Congress, several state legislatures, and the American Motorcyclist Association’s Government Relations Department regarding potential gas-powered vehicle restrictions.
“As exciting as new technology may seem, riders and racers know an all-electric future is still far away,” AMA Washington Representative Zach Farmer said. “Motorcyclists deserve the right to choose, and ability to purchase, the vehicle that best fits their needs.”
As alternative transportation options have increased, so have efforts to limit the sale of gas-powered vehicles. In 2022, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) adopted a measure to require zero tailpipe emissions on new cars by 2035, and several states — including Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington — aim to follow California’s model and prohibit the sale of gas-powered vehicles in the not-too-distant future.
In addition to action at the state level, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Year 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles” rule — which aimed to set strict emissions standards, with the objective to have two-thirds of all new vehicles be electric by 2032.
In an effort to mitigate this prohibition on gas-powered vehicles, Reps. Tim Walberg (R-MI-05) and Andrew Cline (R-GA-09) led the House to pass the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023, which would prohibit the EPA’s April 2023 proposal and the use of authority under the Clean Air Act.
At the state level, Ohio signed House Bill 201 into law in December 2023, which allowed residents to choose the automobile that best suits their needs and protected consumer vehicle choice across the state.
As the AMA believes that riders should have the freedom to choose which machine best fits their needs, we support the efforts in Washington D.C., and at the state level, to protect consumer vehicle choice.
To support the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2023 as it progresses through the United States Senate, send a message to your senators by going to AmericanMotorcyclist.com/action-center and filling out the form in the “Choice in Vehicle Legislation & Gas-Powered Vehicle Bans” page.